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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. staff — a stick
  4. net — in sport
  5. ball — a dance
  6. staff — employees
  7. mate — a friend
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — after costs
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cue — a hint
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wax — to grow
  21. staff — employees
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. cue — a signal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com